Copper-aluminum transition terminal and electronic device

Abstract

The present invention relates to the technical field of electrical devices, and in particular to a copper-aluminum transition terminal and an electronic device. The copper-aluminum transition terminal comprises a copper conductive member and an aluminum conductive member; one of the copper conductive member and the aluminum conductive member is provided with a bush, and the other one is provided with a plug; the plug and the bush are mated, then fixed by crimping, and then fixed by welding. The connection strength between the copper conductive member and the aluminum conductive member can be improved by means of fixing by crimping, and a sufficiently large contact area can be achieved between the copper conductive member and the aluminum conductive member by means of fixing by welding, so that the copper-aluminum transition terminal has a smaller resistance when being connected into a circuit. When the copper-aluminum transition terminal is connected into a circuit, a first external connecting portion of the copper conductive member is connected to an external copper conductive member, and a second external connecting portion of the aluminum conductive member is connected to an external aluminum conductive member; and the copper conductive member and the external copper conductive member, and the aluminum conductive member and the external aluminum conductive member are made of the same metal, so that a gap is not prone to being formed between the conductive members, thereby mitigating the problem of poor reliability of existing copper-aluminum joints.

Description

Copper-aluminum transition terminal and electronic device Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of electrical equipment, and in particular to a copper-aluminum transition terminal and an electronic device. Background Art

[0002] In power equipment and circuits, connecting aluminum wires to copper terminals on electronic devices typically involves connecting the aluminum terminals to the aluminum wires, which are then connected to the copper terminals of the electronic device. Due to the different expansion coefficients of copper and aluminum, gaps can easily form at the junction of the copper and aluminum terminals after long-term use, causing oxidation of the aluminum terminals and increasing resistance at the junction. This, combined with increased heat generation when high currents flow through the junction, can easily cause fires. Consequently, the current copper-aluminum connection method suffers from poor connection reliability. Technical issues

[0003] The present invention provides a copper-aluminum transition terminal, which is used to improve the technical problem of poor connection reliability at the current copper-aluminum connection.

[0004] In addition, the present invention also aims to provide an electronic device using the copper-aluminum transition terminal. Technical Solutions

[0005] In a first aspect, an embodiment provides a copper-aluminum transition terminal, comprising a copper conductive member and an aluminum conductive member, wherein the copper conductive member comprises a first external connection portion and a first connection portion, and the aluminum conductive member comprises a second external connection portion and a second connection portion, wherein the first external connection portion is used for conductively connecting to an external copper conductive member, and the second connection portion is used for conductively connecting to an external aluminum conductive member; one of the first connection portion and the second connection portion has a socket, and the other has a plug inserted into the socket, the socket and the plug are crimped and fixed after being plugged in, and the plug is welded and fixed to the socket.

[0006] Furthermore, in one embodiment, the plug includes a plug crimping section and a plug welding section, and the plug crimping section and the plug welding section are arranged in a direction in which the plug is inserted into the socket.

[0007] Furthermore, in one embodiment, the surface of the plug welding section is welded to the socket.

[0008] Furthermore, in one embodiment, the end of the plug for inserting into the socket is located on the plug welding section.

[0009] Furthermore, in one embodiment, the cross-sectional area of ​​the plug crimping section is greater than the cross-sectional area of ​​the plug welding section, the socket includes a socket welding section and a socket crimping section, and the wall thickness of the socket welding section is greater than the wall thickness of the socket crimping section.

[0010] Furthermore, in one embodiment, the outer peripheral surface of the plug crimping section is a polygonal cylinder, and the inner hole of the socket includes a polygonal hole section adapted to the polygonal cylinder.

[0011] Furthermore, in one embodiment, the second external connection portion is a crimping hole located in the crimping section of the plug, and the crimping hole is used to crimp and fix the external aluminum wire.

[0012] Furthermore, in one embodiment, the plug has a welding surface, and at least a portion of the welding surface faces the direction in which the plug is inserted into the socket.

[0013] Furthermore, in one embodiment, the first connection part has a socket, the second connection part has a plug, and the second external connection part includes a crimping sleeve for crimping and fixing the external aluminum wire, and the crimping sleeve has an external connection hole for inserting the external aluminum wire.

[0014] In a second aspect, an embodiment provides an electronic device, comprising a conductive member and a copper-aluminum transition terminal connected to the conductive member, wherein the copper-aluminum transition terminal is the copper-aluminum transition terminal described in any one of the embodiments of the first aspect. Beneficial effects

[0015] According to the copper-aluminum transition terminal and electronic device of the above embodiment, the copper-aluminum transition terminal includes a copper conductive part and an aluminum conductive part, one of the copper conductive part and the aluminum conductive part has a socket, and the other has a plug. The plug and the socket are crimped and fixed after being inserted, and are fixed by welding. By crimping and welding, the connection strength between the copper conductive part and the aluminum conductive part is improved, and the contact area between the copper conductive part and the aluminum conductive part is large enough, and the resistance when the copper-aluminum transition terminal is connected to the circuit is smaller. In summary, after the copper conductive part and the aluminum conductive part of the copper-aluminum transition terminal of the above embodiment are inserted, the connection reliability is improved by the combined effect of crimping and welding. When the copper-aluminum transition terminal is connected to the circuit, the first external connection part of the copper conductive part can be connected to the external copper conductive part, and the second external connection part of the aluminum conductive part can be connected to the external aluminum conductive part. The copper conductive part and the external copper conductive part, as well as the aluminum conductive part and the external aluminum conductive part are made of the same metal, and gaps are not easily generated, thereby improving the current problem of poor reliability of the copper-aluminum connection. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] FIG1 is a schematic structural diagram of a copper-aluminum transition terminal according to an embodiment;

[0017] FIG2 is a schematic diagram of the structure of an aluminum conductive member in a copper-aluminum transition terminal according to an embodiment;

[0018] FIG3 is a cross-sectional view of a copper-aluminum transition terminal in one embodiment;

[0019] FIG4 is a schematic structural diagram of a copper-aluminum transition terminal with tooth-shaped protrusions in one embodiment;

[0020] FIG5 is a cross-sectional view of a copper-aluminum transition terminal with tooth-shaped protrusions in one embodiment;

[0021] FIG6 is a schematic structural diagram of a copper-aluminum transition terminal with arc-shaped protrusions in one embodiment;

[0022] FIG7 is a schematic structural diagram of a copper-aluminum transition terminal with an annular protrusion in one embodiment;

[0023] FIG8 is a cross-sectional view of a copper-aluminum transition terminal with an annular protrusion in one embodiment;

[0024] FIG9 is a cross-sectional view of a copper-aluminum transition terminal and an external conductor in an embodiment.

[0025] List of feature names corresponding to the figure marks in the figure: 1. Copper conductive part; 11. First external connection part; 111. Connection hole; 12. First connection part; 121. Plug sleeve; 1211. Annular protrusion; 1212. Tooth-shaped protrusion; 1213. Arc-shaped protrusion; 1214. Plug sleeve welding section; 1215. Plug sleeve crimping section; 2. Aluminum conductive part; 21. Second external connection part; 211. Crimping sleeve; 2111. External connection hole; 212. Crimping hole; 22. Second connection part; 221. Plug; 2211. Plug crimping section; 2212. Plug welding section; 3. External wire.

[0026] Explanation of the reference numerals in brackets in the accompanying drawings: In the reference numerals in brackets in the accompanying drawings, the features referred to by the reference numerals are both the features represented by the numbers in the brackets and the features represented by the numbers outside the brackets. Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0027] The present invention will be further described in detail below by means of specific embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Similar elements in different embodiments are numbered with associated similar elements. In the following embodiments, many detailed descriptions are provided to enable the present application to be better understood. However, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that some of the features may be omitted in different circumstances, or may be replaced by other elements, materials, or methods. In some cases, some operations related to the present application are not shown or described in the specification. This is to avoid the core portion of the present application being overwhelmed by excessive descriptions, and for those skilled in the art, it is not necessary to describe these related operations in detail. They will fully understand the related operations based on the description in the specification and the general technical knowledge in the art.

[0028] In addition, the features, operations, or characteristics described in the specification may be combined in any appropriate manner to form various embodiments. Furthermore, the steps or actions in the method description may be reordered or adjusted in a manner readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the various sequences in the specification and drawings are provided solely for the purpose of clearly describing a particular embodiment and are not intended to be mandatory, unless otherwise specified.

[0029] Component numbers used herein, such as "first" and "second," are used solely to distinguish the components being described and do not convey any sequential or technical meaning. References to "connection" and "coupling" herein, unless otherwise specified, include both direct and indirect connections (couplings).

[0030] In one embodiment, referring to Figures 1 to 8 , a copper-aluminum transition terminal includes a copper conductive member 1 and an aluminum conductive member 2. The copper conductive member 1 includes a first external connection portion 11 and a first connecting portion 12, and the aluminum conductive member 2 includes a second external connection portion 21 and a second connecting portion 22. The first external connection portion 11 is used for conductive connection with an external copper conductive member, and the second connecting portion 22 is used for conductive connection with an external aluminum conductive member. One of the first connecting portion 12 and the second connecting portion 22 has a socket 121, and the other has a plug 221 that is inserted into the socket 121. The socket 121 and the plug 221 are crimped and fixed after insertion, and the plug 221 is welded to the socket 121.

[0031] In the copper-aluminum transition terminal of the present application, crimping can increase the coupling area between the copper conductive member 1 and the aluminum conductive member 2, while also improving the connection strength between the copper conductive member 1 and the aluminum conductive member 2. Welding further provides a sufficiently large conductive contact area between the copper conductive member 1 and the aluminum conductive member 2, thereby reducing resistance and making the copper-aluminum transition terminal less susceptible to heat generation when connected to the circuit. By crimping the copper conductive member 1 and the aluminum conductive member 2, the weld between the copper conductive member 1 and the aluminum conductive member 2 is less likely to crack. Similarly, due to the effect of welding, the crimping location is also less likely to deform during use.

[0032] After the copper conductive member 1 and the aluminum conductive member 2 of the copper-aluminum transition terminal are plugged in, the reliability of the connection between the copper conductive member 1 and the aluminum conductive member 2 is improved through the combined effects of crimping and welding. When the copper-aluminum transition terminal is connected to the circuit, the first external connection portion 11 of the copper conductive member 1 can connect to the external copper conductive member, and the second external connection portion 21 of the aluminum conductive member 2 can connect to the external aluminum conductive member. Since the copper conductive member 1 and the external copper conductive member, and the aluminum conductive member 2 and the external aluminum conductive member are made of the same metal, gaps are unlikely to form, thus improving the current problem of poor reliability of the copper-aluminum connection.

[0033] The external copper conductive part may be a copper wire, a copper terminal, etc. The external aluminum conductive part may be an aluminum wire, an aluminum terminal, etc.

[0034] It should be noted that the copper conductive member 1 and the aluminum conductive member 2 in this application are used to achieve a conductive connection between copper and aluminum, and the specific forms include at least the following situations:

[0035] In scenario 1, a copper-aluminum transition terminal connects the external copper terminal to the external aluminum terminal. The first external connection portion 11 of the copper conductor 1 is connected to the external copper terminal, and the second external connection portion 21 of the aluminum conductor 2 is connected to the external aluminum terminal. The first external connection portion 11 and the external copper terminal can be connected electrically via screws, welding, or adhesive bonding. The second external connection portion 21 and the external aluminum terminal can also be connected via screws, welding, or adhesive bonding.

[0036] In the second scenario, a copper-aluminum transition terminal connects the external copper terminal to the external aluminum conductor. The first external connection portion 11 of the copper conductor 1 is connected to the external copper terminal, and the second external connection portion 21 of the aluminum conductor 2 is connected to the external aluminum conductor. The second external connection portion 21 and the external aluminum conductor can be connected by screws, crimping, or welding.

[0037] Scenario 3: A copper-aluminum transition terminal connects the external copper conductor to the external aluminum terminal. The first external connection portion 11 of the copper conductor 1 is connected to the external copper conductor, and the second external connection portion 21 of the aluminum conductor 2 is connected to the external aluminum terminal. The first external connection portion 11 and the external copper conductor can be connected by screws, crimping, or welding.

[0038] In the fourth scenario, the copper-aluminum transition terminal realizes the connection between the external copper wire and the external aluminum wire. The first external connection part 11 of the copper conductor 1 is connected to the external copper wire, and the second external connection part 21 of the aluminum conductor 2 is connected to the external aluminum wire.

[0039] When the first external connection part 11 is connected to the wire, the first external connection part 11 can be a crimping sleeve that is crimped to the wire, or it can be any other feasible structure such as a wire terminal connected to the wire. When the first external connection part 11 is connected to the terminal, the first external connection part 11 can be a connecting plate with a connecting hole 111, and the connecting hole 111 is for screws to pass through, and the connecting plate and the terminal are pressed and fixed. Similarly, when the second external connection part 21 is connected to the wire, the second external connection part 21 can be a crimping sleeve 211 that is crimped to the wire, or it can be any other feasible structure such as a wire terminal connected to the wire. When the second external connection part 21 is connected to the terminal, the second external connection part 21 can be a connecting plate with a connecting hole, and the connecting hole is for screws to pass through, and the connecting plate and the terminal are pressed and fixed.

[0040] Regarding the position of the plug 221 and the socket 121, in one embodiment, the first connecting portion 12 comprises the socket 121, and the second connecting portion 22 comprises the plug 221 which is inserted into the socket 121. Due to the excellent ductility of copper, the copper conductive member 1 is more easily crimped as the socket 121. By optimizing the design of the copper-aluminum transition terminal, the copper conductive member is wrapped around the aluminum conductive member, and the portion wrapping the aluminum conductive member is then extruded. This effectively increases the bonding area between the two materials, reduces contact resistance and the risk of separation due to different expansion coefficients, while significantly improving resistance to mechanical vibration.

[0041] In another embodiment, the first connecting portion 12 has a plug, and the second connecting portion 22 has a socket for inserting the plug.

[0042] In this application, the crimping and fixing of the plug 221 and the socket 121 after insertion means that the plug 221 is inserted into the socket 121, and then force is applied from the outside of the socket 121 (which can be done by extrusion through a mold) to deform the copper and aluminum conductive parts, causing the socket 121 to partially protrude inward, pressing the plug 221, and thus fixing the plug 221 to the socket 121. Regarding the crimping method, please refer to Figures 3, 5, and 8. The protrusion on the socket 121 that presses the plug 221 can be either an annular protrusion 1211 (please refer to Figure 8) or a raised point. The raised point can be either a tooth-shaped protrusion 1212 (please refer to Figure 5) or an arc-shaped protrusion 1213 (please refer to Figure 3).

[0043] The plug 221 and the socket 121 can be welded together using any suitable method, such as ultrasonic welding or laser welding. To avoid any impact on the weld during the crimping process, in one embodiment, the plug 221 and the socket 121 are first crimped together and secured before welding. Alternatively, in another embodiment, the plug 221 and the socket 121 can be welded together before crimping.

[0044] Furthermore, in one embodiment, referring to Figures 1 to 3 , in order to improve the connection strength and increase the conductive contact area, the plug 221 includes a plug crimping section 2211 and a plug welding section 2212. The plug crimping section 2211 and the plug welding section 2212 are arranged in the direction of insertion of the plug 221. The plug crimping section 2211 and the plug welding section 2212 are arranged in sections and are both fixed to the socket 121. While improving the fixing strength, it can also increase the conductive contact area, thereby reducing the resistance of the copper-aluminum transition terminal. In some other embodiments, the welding position and the crimping position of the plug 221 can overlap. For example, the plug 221 is first crimped to the socket 121, and then the position where the plug 221 is crimped to the socket 121 is welded.

[0045] In one embodiment, the plug 221 has a welding surface, at least a portion of which faces the direction in which the plug 221 is inserted into the socket 121. Furthermore, in one embodiment, referring to Figures 1 to 3, the surface of the plug welding section 2212 is welded to the socket 121. This can further increase the contact area between the plug 221 and the socket 121. In some other embodiments, the surface of the plug welding section 2212 can also be partially welded to the socket 121, for example, the end surface of the plug welding section 2212 facing the direction in which the plug 221 is inserted into the socket 121 is welded to the socket 121. In one embodiment, the plug welding section 2212 in the above embodiment can also be replaced by a positioning section. In this case, the positioning section is not welded to the socket 121 but is only positioned with the socket 121. A table facing the inside of the socket is formed at the connection between the positioning section and the plug crimping section 2211, and the plug 221 and the socket are fixed only by welding the table to the socket 121.

[0046] Furthermore, in one embodiment, referring to Figures 3, 5, and 8, the end of the plug 221 for insertion into the socket 121 is located on the plug welding section 2212, and the end surface of the plug 221 facing the interior of the socket 121 is located at the end of the plug welding section 2212. In one embodiment, referring to Figure 3, the cross-sectional area of ​​the plug crimping section 2211 is larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the plug welding section 2212. The socket 121 includes a socket welding section 1214 and a socket crimping section 1215. The wall thickness of the socket welding section 1214 is greater than that of the socket crimping section 1215. The wall thickness of the socket crimping section 1215 is relatively thin, facilitating crimping.

[0047] Furthermore, in one embodiment, referring to Figures 1 to 3 , the outer circumference of the plug crimping section 2211 is a polygonal cylinder, and the inner hole of the socket 121 includes a polygonal hole section that matches the polygonal cylinder. After the plug crimping section 2211 is mated with the plug 221, the polygonal cylinder can prevent rotation, facilitating crimping and welding operations. Specifically, the polygonal cylinder can be a triangular prism, a quadrangular prism, a pentagonal prism, or a hexagonal prism. In one embodiment, referring to Figures 4 to 8 , the outer circumference of the plug crimping section 2211 can also be a cylindrical surface.

[0048] In one embodiment, referring to Figures 1 and 3, the first connecting portion 12 has a socket 121, the second connecting portion 22 has a plug 221, and the second external connection portion 21 includes a crimping sleeve 211 for crimping and fixing with an external wire, and the crimping sleeve 211 has an external connection hole 2111 for inserting the wire. At least a portion of the crimping sleeve 211 is inserted into the socket 121. The portion of the crimping sleeve 211 inserted into the socket 121 does not undergo a crimping operation, but allows the wire to be inserted, thereby ensuring that the wire is inserted in place and passes through the crimping portion on the crimping sleeve 211. Of course, in some other embodiments, the crimping sleeve 211 may also be located outside the socket 121 without extending into the socket 121.

[0049] In another embodiment, referring to Figure 9 , the aluminum conductive member 2 is entirely inserted into the socket 121 of the copper conductive member 1. The second external connection portion 21 is a crimping hole 212 within the plug crimping section 2211. The external wire 3 is inserted into the crimping hole 212 and crimped and secured. The plug crimping section 2211 and the socket crimping section 1215 are crimped and secured together for a second time.

[0050] After crimping and fixing the external conductor 3, the plug crimping section 2211 and the plug welding section 2212 are inserted into the socket 121 of the first connecting portion 12, and then the socket crimping section 1215 is crimped together with the plug crimping section 221 for a second time. This copper-aluminum transition terminal is shorter in length and can be adapted to applications with small spaces.

[0051] In one embodiment, referring to FIG. 1 , FIG. 3 and FIG. 8 , the first external connection portion 11 is a connection plate having a connection hole 111 . Screws passing through the connection hole 111 can conductively fix the connection plate to the external copper terminal.

[0052] In one embodiment, the copper-aluminum transition terminal can be applied to electronic devices and can also be applied to cables, for example, the copper-aluminum transition terminal can be pre-installed on the end of the wire.

[0053] To address the heating and creep issues associated with direct copper-aluminum connections, this application provides a novel copper-aluminum transition terminal. The terminal's mechanical properties and electrical conductivity surpass those of conventional terminals. Test results show that it effectively suppresses heating and creep associated with direct copper-aluminum connections, significantly reducing line failures.

[0054] This application addresses the risk of separation caused by inconsistent expansion coefficients and resistivities between copper and aluminum, which can lead to high temperatures and creep during long-term operation. The use of a rare earth aluminum alloy with high ductility and creep resistance as the aluminum conductor improves terminal reliability and fatigue life. The copper-aluminum transition terminal design offers high reliability, consistent batch production, and a simple structure, making it easy to automate.

[0055] In one embodiment, the aluminum conductive member is made of a rare earth aluminum alloy material having excellent electrical conductivity and ductility.

[0056] In an embodiment of an electronic device, the electronic device includes a conductive member and a copper-aluminum transition terminal connected to the conductive member, and the copper-aluminum transition terminal is the copper-aluminum transition terminal described in any one of the above embodiments.

[0057] The above examples are used to illustrate the present invention, which are only used to help understand the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Those skilled in the art can make several simple deductions, modifications or substitutions based on the concept of the present invention.

Claims

1. A copper-aluminum transition terminal, characterized in that, It includes a copper conductive part and an aluminum conductive part. The copper conductive part includes a first external connection part and a first connection part, and the aluminum conductive part includes a second external connection part and a second connection part. The first external connection part is used for electrically connecting with an external copper conductive part, and the second connection part is used for electrically connecting with an external aluminum conductive part. One of the first connection part and the second connection part has a socket, and the other has a plug inserted into the socket. After the socket and the plug are inserted into each other, they are crimped and fixed, and the plug and the socket are welded and fixed.

2. The copper-aluminum transition terminal according to claim 1, wherein The plug includes a plug crimping section and a plug welding section, and the plug crimping section and the plug welding section are arranged in the direction in which the plug is inserted into the socket.

3. The copper-aluminum transition terminal according to claim 2, characterized in that, The surfaces of the plug welding section are all welded to the socket.

4. The copper-aluminum transition terminal according to claim 2, wherein, The end of the plug for inserting into the socket is located on the plug welding section.

5. The copper-aluminum transition terminal according to claim 4, wherein The cross-sectional area of the plug crimping section is larger than that of the plug welding section. The socket includes a socket welding section and a socket crimping section, and the wall thickness of the socket welding section is larger than that of the socket crimping section.

6. The copper-aluminum transition terminal according to claim 2, wherein, The outer peripheral surface of the plug crimping section is a polygonal cylindrical surface, and the inner hole of the socket includes a polygonal hole section adapted to the polygonal cylindrical surface.

7. The copper-aluminum transition terminal according to claim 2, characterized in that, The second external connection part is a crimping hole located inside the plug crimping section, and the crimping hole is used for crimping and fixing an external aluminum wire.

8. The copper-aluminum transition terminal according to claim 1, characterized in that, The plug has a welding surface, and at least a part of the welding surface faces the direction in which the plug is inserted into the socket.

9. The copper-aluminum transition terminal according to any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that, The first connection part has the socket, the second connection part has the plug, the second external connection part includes a crimping sleeve for crimping and fixing an external aluminum wire, and the crimping sleeve has an external connection hole for the external aluminum wire to insert.

10. An electronic device, characterized in that, It includes a conductive part and a copper-aluminum transition terminal connected to the conductive part, and the copper-aluminum transition terminal is the copper-aluminum transition terminal according to any one of claims 1-9.

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